Child Of The Law
by TheRoseShadow21
Summary: She's a middle school teenager, 3rd year at Yomi North.Her life is exams , friends , boys , hopes and dreams.Her life is normal.But the year is 1972 -things at her school will never be normal again by the time the year is out.
1. INTRODUCTION

**Hey there!**

**This is just a quick-ish intro to this story:**

**First off, it is a diary, which is why the chapters are titled with dates. These dates are all between 10****th**** May 1972 and 5****th**** July 1972  
The diary is that of Ritsuko Sakakibara, from when her family name was still Mikami and she was in Class 3 of Yomi North Middle school (This is why all the dates are 1972).This is not really intended to be a mystery/drama thing. More an insight into how much she was involved in the choices her class made , and how she may have been , a normal 15 year old with dreams , loves , hates ,crushes, fears , etc. etc. And for that reason I can tell you that the last "entry" will be about the class member saying "Misaki isn't dead. Look, he is right there."**

**Oh , and if you are wondering, "Child of the law" is what the name "Ritsuko" means (according to the wikia of Another)**

**Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this story , my first multichapter story for "Another".**

**Please give feedback! , **

**TheRoseShadow21**


	2. 10 May 1972

**10 May 1972**

**21:20**

3 days left!Oh gosh! I can't believe I'll be 15 soon. Soon middle school will be over and then it will be high school…gosh, I can't bear to think about it. Rei-Chan's excited too. Even more than the only person more excited than me about my own birthday…Oh well, that's 4yr olds for you. Crazy as hell. But adorable too.

I think Tsukimi and the others are planning something. I have no idea what. I hope it's nothing too crazy. I know what they are like. Last year they got my birthday announced over the school's PA ...so AWKWARD! I'm sure glad this year my birthday is on Saturday.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. Oyasumi!


	3. 14 May 1972

**14 May 1972**

**_10:30_**

Wow! Yesterday was quite a day!Woken up at 6am by Rei-Chan jumping on my bed singing "happy Birthday, nee-san!" and looking quite adorable in that purple dress I got her last year. About half an hour later mum and dad came in with my presents, as well as breakfast in bed

I got:

-A pink journal with matching pen.  
-A new outfit-red short sleeved top, black skirt and cardigan, red socks and black shoes  
-A jewellery box.  
-Some jewellery to put in there (bracelets, necklaces, a pair of earrings).  
-A colourful scrunchie hairband (this was from Rei-Chan).  
-A recipe book.  
-Various novels. I've never seen any of the titles before, but they look interesting .

After opening them, I had my breakfast, then spent some time reading through one of those novels mum and dad got me, then finally got out of bed for lunch before getting ready for the evening. I wore my birthday clothes, tied my hair back with the scrunchie and waited.

It was Tsukimi, Mitsuru, Kayano-chan, Anna-Chan and Rie who came. They had presents for me too, but I haven't opened them yet. Rather, I told Rei-Chan to put them in my room for me and left with the girls.

First we went cinema. There was some kind of romance movie was interesting. Not my cup of tea, but I cannot deny liking we went and had a meal in a restaurant…nothing better than pizza and chips….then an ice cream shop for dessert and then the real surprise. I could not BELIEVE what it was. Ice Skating. They have a new rink down near Yomi East middle school. Tsukimi and Rie organised it so that we'd have a section near enough to ourselves when we got there. And it was great!Of course, I fell over a few times, but Kayano-Chan fell over more than I did, and it was all great fun . We only got home at 10:45pm!

Perhaps I should go have breakfast now…or open the presents from the girls.

**16:55**

So bored. What can I do? I don't feel like reading….Maybe I could call Rie. But chances are she'll be off on a date or something with Misaki-kun. Lucky her, going out with Misaki Yomiyama, who happens to be only the most popular boy in the school. And the others all have boyfriends too. I'm the only one who's never had one. Perhaps that will change by highschool.


	4. 15 May 1972

15 May 1972  
18:30

I should really be doing my homework, but I can't concentrate. School was kind of odd today. Makise-san and Kawamura-san talked to me today. This is strange, since they are the type of girls who get away with doing as little studies as possible, who wear their skirts as short as possible and talk endlessly about fashion. In other words, the type of girls who ignore those who are like me-They asked me for the answers to last week's science homework in a nice manner , as though we were friends , and then asked me to sit with them at lunch. So that we could "get to know each other".

Of course, I refused the second request politely, already sitting with Kayano-chan, Anna-Chan, Tsukimi and was with . She's my best friend, and I've known her long enough to feel like she's a sister, but I hardly know her anymore. Not since she started 's not fair.

Perhaps it's a sign we are growing. Changing. Or rather, they are growing up and I am not. Before, they used to like having Rei-Chan with us, now they think it "cramps their style". For example.

Oh well. I'm not ready to change and grow up yet. I'm going to still be me, playing with Rei-Chan , reading horror stories , studying hard .And on that note , I better get back to my homework!


	5. 17 May 1972

**17 May 1972  
18:24**

Yesterday, a whole lot of our year bunked school and had a water fight in the -san, Kayano-Chan and Tsukimi amongst them-Tsukimi involvement didn't surprise me …but Kayano-Chan and Kawamura-san…well, life never ceases to surprise me.

Today, our PE teacher let us have a water fight in the lesson. Boys VS Girls. I didn't really want to get involved, but Rie asked and I couldn't really refuse. And once I got into it, it felt as good as the old times, and as good as my birthday was. We won, using tennis bats to whack our water bombs across. Rie's idea. She has one mean back hand. And probably the best bit of all is that Misaki-kun wasn't in today. Rie informed us that he had a bit of a cold. But the reason didn't really matter, much as I like Misaki-kun , he's kinda responsible for taking away my closest fri-oh gosh , I sound like SUCH a horrible person!I'm not a horrible person, am I?

**20:15**

When we were eating, there was a news bulletin on the radio.2 hours ago , a forest fire broke out-the forest nearest to school, and it spread. People are hurt, but they won't say how badly, or how many. Anna-Chan lives lives there. Misaki-kun lives there. Yuki-sempai and Mitsuyo-sempai live there.

So many people there who are important to me , let none of them be hurt.

Please.

**22:49**

I can't sleep. No other news on the fire since that bulletin. Means that anything could have happened ...I hope it isn't what I'm thinking.

No, no…I need to be strong, and optimistic. I bet Rie is worried too, and Kayano-Chan, and Tsukimi….the rest of our class. I need to have hope.

Oh, but I cannot help but worry. It's probably the most horrifying thing that has ever been on the radio In my life time. I can visualise that fire so well , red and orange tongues , licking buildings , chomping up people and leaving their ashy remains , hissing , spitting , flickering …beautiful in its deadliness…Oh. Someone's on the phone. Why is the phone ringing, this time of night? Mum's awake, she's going downstairs, she's answering it.

"Hello?"

A pause now. This may just be a hoax. Nothing to worry. If I fall asleep now , I'll wake up and this will all be a horrid nightmare…Yes , I think I'll try go back to sleep now , Oyasu-


	6. 20 May 1972

**20 May 1972  
11:50**

Numb.

Numb on the inside. Numb on the outside. That's what I am.

That phone call on Wednesday, it was for me. It was Rie. In tears. At first, what she said made no sense.

But on the next day, it did. The white flower in a glass vase on the desk made it all too clear to me.

Misaki-kun died in that fire. Him, his parents, and little brother-whose name I cannot remember.

At least I have some motivation keep me here and smiling. Rei-Chan, exam next week, the future.

By that argument, I could say that Rie has the future to keep her here and smiling. But that one thing , it isn't enough. Her eyes, once so lively and bright, have gone dull. Her hair, so long and dark and beautiful hasn't been combed. I remember envying that hair. She says hardly anything, when before she started all the conversations. She flinches whenever someone talks of the circumstances of his death. As though she cannot accept it.

Me? It hurts .it hurts a lot, but I'm past feeling. He's dead, he's gone, and it's painful. But it happened. No denying 's dead.

Perhaps after the funeral next Friday it will hurt less. I definitely plan on going. I want to apologise for thinking that he was bad for taking Rie away. Ok, so I never actually _said_ anything to him or Rie…but I cannot help feel bad for it. Because he made her happy. Really, truly happy. I hope that when Rei-Chan grows up and falls in love, she'll find someone like that, someone who won't die until the two of them have grown old and wrinkly , I hope that _ I'll_ find that too.


	7. 27 May 1972

27 May 1972  
23:15

What do people become when they die?

Do they become angels, sitting on fluffy cards and singing songs with golden voices, looking down? Do the bad ones become tormented souls in hell? Do they become ghosts, either seeking revenge or keeping an eye on their loved ones, the way they did in life? Or do they simply stop existing?

I know what happens to the body. If it isn't cremated, it will quietly decompose in a grave for centuries to come. But what I want to know is what happens to the person. The person in the body, the thoughts, fears, dreams, hopes, loves, ambitions, ideas-all of that. It can't just disappear. Can it?

Perhaps it it depends on those who loved, liked, knew the dead person. Then those non-body things can live on. I know I definitely won't be able to help in that matter. I came home from his funeral this afternoon (a funeral Rie did not attend), and I realised that I was already starting to forget him. The facts I remember are fuzzy around the edges, not clear cut. And most of the ones that aren't so fuzzy have Rie in them. Most of what I remember of him is what I remember of her. So who exactly am I trying to not forget in recalling the memories.

Ah..I should probably go to bed now. Mum and Dad will go mad if they discover me up this late with a torch under covers….


	8. 1 June 1972

**1 June 1972  
18:15**

These days, school is just a damn waste of time. Well…asides from the exams. The exams we have will have an eventual point…but that's a different matter. We're all zombies in that class. The chemistry we used to all have (gives or takes a few certain members who I won't name…) is gone.

In other words, when Misaki-kun died, so did this class. And the dumb thing is , the class is still walking , talking , breathing , eating ,writing , thinking etc. etc. Misaki-kun is not. So why has it turned out like this?

Already I can see how it ends. We'll graduate from middle school; go our separate ways into won't talk to each other again, because the painful memories will overshadow the happy ones. Each and every one of us will work hard to forget everything that ever happened in Class 3. Even though, there have been happier than sad moments. Even though, this is the only death this school has had in a while. A couple of very old teachers dying from old age, but that was it really. I wasn't even in middle school when those happened. They were retired. There was grief, but everyone grew closer and learnt to eventually move on.

So…if anything, Misaki-kun's death should bring us closer together, determined to make the rest of our year better-a tribute to the most popular kid , a hero to us all , members of Class 3 , rest of Grade 9 and the younger years.

But unless a miracle happens, we will drift apart. We won't really be a class anymore. We'll share a room, but that's about it.

DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT! It's not fair; it's not the way it was supposed to end. Middle School wasn't supposed to be like this. It wasn't even supposed to be an ending…

It's not fair and doesn't make sense.

Perhaps I should distract my mind with things that actually make sense in comparison to this entire mess. Like supernatural horror novels filled with creepy psychos for protagonists.


	9. 3 June 1972

**3 June 1972  
6:11**

If Rie doesn't come back to school today, I will leave home early tomorrow and drag her out of her house and force her to come to school! I think she's being a bit over the top now. We're all grieving, but we aren't all lying around in bed, throwing away our educations and futures and suchlike.

Since I'm so wide awake, I might as well get ready for school….

**19:10**

Rie came back to school today. A really, really good thing considering my mood this morning.

Except….

When we (me, Tsukimi, Kayano-Chan and Anna-Chan…Mitsuru was off for reasons I don't know about) went to hug her, she barely noticed. Instead, she just looked at Misaki-kun's desk (now flowerless) and tilted her head as though listening to something in the distance. When we let go of her, she looked at Kayano-Chan and asked.

"What do they mean, Misaki is dead?"

When she asked that, all we could do was blink confusedly at each other .But it didn't really not answering didn't bother her. Instead, she just walked to Misaki-kun's desk and said.

"He's not dead. Look, he's right here."

The people who were in the class with the 5 of us went silent and just looked at her. She glared as if daring us to challenge her , then all of a sudden she was back to normal. She asked me what work I had missed , asked all four of us if anything interesting had happened. We shared jokes , chatted about everything and was almost as normal. And that made me happy. But, I can't help wondering if perhaps Rie would have been better off staying at home a bit longer. After all, after those things she said, It's obvious that she isn't right in the head.

I'm worried.


	10. 6 June 1972

**6 June 1972  
18:55**

Nothing major happened today. By that I mean, no outbursts about Misaki-kun being alive or any such stupidity. Well, at lunch she sat in the same place she always used to when he was alive…but asides from that, today passed for normal.

Perhaps that was just a panic reaction or something. I mean, she hasn't been in school a while. It may take her time to get used to the absence. It's a lot more real at school, where he was pretty well known.

I should know how that feels. Some days it feels as though none of this is real.

21:30

I have a really bad feeling. Can't understand why. But I'm sure the results of what the bad thing is will last a lot longer than a school year.

Or perhaps I've gone for bed , I think.


	11. 15 June 1972

15 May 1972  
18:30

I should really be doing my homework, but I can't concentrate. School was kind of odd today. Makise-san and Kawamura-san talked to me today. This is strange, since they are the type of girls who get away with doing as little studies as possible, who wear their skirts as short as possible and talk endlessly about fashion. In other words, the type of girls who ignore those who are like me-They asked me for the answers to last week's science homework in a nice manner , as though we were friends , and then asked me to sit with them at lunch. So that we could "get to know each other".

Of course, I refused the second request politely, already sitting with Kayano-chan, Anna-Chan, Tsukimi and was with . She's my best friend, and I've known her long enough to feel like she's a sister, but I hardly know her anymore. Not since she started 's not fair.

Perhaps it's a sign we are growing. Changing. Or rather, they are growing up and I am not. Before, they used to like having Rei-Chan with us, now they think it "cramps their style". For example.

Oh well. I'm not ready to change and grow up yet. I'm going to still be me, playing with Rei-Chan , reading horror stories , studying hard .And on that note , I better get back to my homework!


	12. 17 June 1972

**17 June 1972  
16:50**

Latest update on the grieving class 3: They are still pretending that Misaki-kun is alive. The number has increased from 9 students to 19. There are 30 of us in the class.

Conclusion: They have gone mad.

(Need I say anymore….?)

Solution: Pretend with them, to make life easier until the end of the year…..?

((Definitely not going to happen.))

**22:30**

Sleep has abandoned me…..

I wonder what my life will be like in 10-20 years' time. Hopefully I'll be a teacher or lawyer, or if not , some job that means I don't have to be worrying about the roof over my head and the food on the table and suchlike.  
I wonder what my son will be like. I assume I'll probably end up having a son, since most guys like having someone to carry on their name….according to my observations anyway. I would still love him, however he turned out, but every mother has expectations for their kid…I mean, I would like it if in some way her resembled me in appearance. My hair colour, maybe. I have always liked my hair colour. Does that sound too arrogant? Anyway, I'd like him to be kind, compassionate and observant. Noticing the things nobody else does. He needs to be strong though, to protect himself from the bullies of the world. He should be smart. Doesn't matter how smart, but smart enough to do good in school and do his parents proud. I'd like him to know how to cook. When he gets married, there's no way I'm letting him get away with foisting all the housework on his wife!I want him to be good looking and confident with it (without arrogance)….although if he is ugly and confident about it I'll be fine with that too. But most of all, what I want is for him to be good at being loved and giving love .Especially as a brother. Yep, this future son of mine will most certainly be a wonderful brother. For as long as he lives, he will_ never_ be alone. I'll make sure of thing missing is his name…but that can wait. First, I need to get school and college over with. ..

School.

I forgot today wasn't Friday. Great. Another 2 days before the weekend. Simply wonderful.


	13. 24 June 1972

**24 June 1972  
18:00**

Something in the class seemed lighter today. I'm not sure what, exactly. Most of them are STILL pretending….so it definitely isn't that.  
Either way, I like the atmosphere now.

Maybe it will get better later. Maybe.

**21:00**

According to Mitsuru, we may be getting a transfer student. A hot transfer student –her words, not mine.

I highly doubt still hasn't got her BS radar fine-tuned yet. I know that I want to go to Tokyo for university. Maybe Osaka or Kyoto. Somewhere big. I want to dream big!

:D

**21:30**

Scratch the above. I NEED to dream big. I need motivation to finish this homework.


	14. 27 June 1972

**27 June 1972**

**14:20**

I woke up late today. Surprisingly, Rei-Chan didn't jump all over my bed in an attempt to wake me up . Not that I minded. The lie-in was seriously needed!

Now I feel really refreshed, and I finally, finally, finally managed to finish my homework, which is even better!I thought I'd never get it done!

The transfer student rumour turned out to just be a rumour-I was actually hoping it'd be true!That's a bit annoying. Then again, it might have been awkward, what with Misaki-kun's death and all. But it would have been really interesting.


	15. 29 June 1972

**29 June 1972  
18:33**

Makise-san and Kawamura-san are back to their normal tricks now-shock horror! Well, not that it bothered me anyway. In some of the lessons now, I hear other people chatting quietly.

It's almost like old times. Almost. Obviously it can't be like the old times ever again, since Misaki-kun is never coming back (despite what the others think). Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to pretend with them, would it? I feel a bit left out now. I'm practically the only person who refuses, who gets up and walks away when they talk of him, who pointedly says "he's dead" and gets evil stares in not evil. I'm being real.

**21:00**

If I know that it's only pretence on the inside, make sure I know this, then it's OK to act right? As long as I know the truth , as long as I don't get carried away .

DAMN!I'm thinking too much about this.!


	16. 2 July 1972

**2 July 1972  
20:18**

Its July already!Soon it will be the summer holidays, and the weather is getting a lot nicer- I can't wait!There's the school trip, that should be fun – and who knows what else there will be?

And although it took me a while to realise, the class has gone back to normal. Infact, It had been slowly doing so, since Rie claimed Misaki was there, still alive.

So perhaps it wouldn't be too bad to pretend? I mean, I'd know I was only pretending, and after the school year is out, I could just put it behind me as a middle school moment and continue with life. Nobody , asides from the class would need to know. Unless I told them.

But It still sits badly with me , the idea of it . It may end up hurting them when they leave and remember , unless they are just pretending , and don't actually believe it .

Oh , I don't know , I think I'm going to sleep on it.


	17. July 5 1972

**5 July 1972  
18:20**

I 've been thinking about all of this too much , from whether I'll be able to stay real , or if I'll end up believing it , to if this will catch up with me a decade later when I try to get a job, or get married , or have a kid. I don't want this to be the only thing I am remembered for, in my middle school years. I am a sane person! What if Dad found out? I'm not that religious, but he is….I don't think he'd approve of me bringing back the dead, so to speak….

Then again, I really want the rest of the school year to go well. If it wasn't for Misaki-kun dying, it would have gone well. WHY DID YOU DIE?! It may be wrong to be angry at him, but this is private!

**20:30**

There's still a month until the school trip and we've all already decided that I am sharing a room with Rie, Kayano-Chan and Anna-Chan will share, and Mitsuru will be with Tsukimi. Unless they explode and have another argument, that is. Then I'll be sharing with Mitsuru instead of Rie. It's fine by me, either way. If all 5 of us could share, that would be even better! Not sure that Sensei would allow that though….

And speaking of school, I've decided. I'll pretend along with them. Hopefully after the summer, they'll have come to terms with the fact that he's dead, so I won't have to deal with this for the entire year.

Until then, I'm sure a few weeks of pretending won't hurt anyone.


	18. FINAL AUTHOR'S NOTE

**FINAL AUTHORS NOTE**

**As you can see (assuming you have been following Child of The Law up until now. , the story actually turned out to be different that I said it would be in the introduction. I actually included the "Misaki isn't dead "bit earlier in this fic , so we could see teen Ritsuko 's reactions to it , and see how she tries to convince herself the denial game will help no-one , and I decided to leave it at a point where she officially decides to join it , since after that , the rest is obvious-and it would probably take years to update the ENTIRE year. **

**Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this story. Thanks for reading!**

**TheRoseShadow21**


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